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Di Luca Positive for EPO

5/24/2013

Italian cyclist Danilo Di Luca, currently competing at the 96th Giro d'Italia, has been "provisionally suspended" after testing positive for EPO in an out-of-competition test before the race. Di Luca, who has already served a ban for failing a doping test at the Giro and has been embroiled in other doping affairs, tested positive for the banned blood booster at the end of April. Cycling's world governing body, the UCI, said it had "provisionally suspended" the rider, who risks a heavy sanction if found guilty.

"The decision to provisionally suspend this rider was made in response to a report from the WADA accredited laboratory in Cologne indicating an Adverse Analytical Finding of EPO in a urine sample collected from him in an out of competition test on 29 April 2013," the UCI said.

"The provisional suspension of Mr Danilo Di Luca remains in force until a hearing panel convened by the Italian Cycling Federation determines whether he has committed an anti-doping rule violation under Article 21 of the UCI Anti-Doping Rules."

Di Luca was without a contract at the start of the season but managed to sign for the second division team Vini Fantini, who were assured a place in the three-week race. Team boss Angelo Citracca indicated upon hearing the news the team would sack the rider if a B sample confirms the first result.

"This result reflects upon the whole team," said Citracca.

Despite having only two days of racing in his legs, the 37-year-old Di Lucawas called into the team in time for the May 4 start in Naples. Although he has failed to win a stage or challenge for overall honours, Di Luca has often been seen on the attack. Di Luca finished 10th in Thursday's uphill time trial behind stage winner

and overall race leader Vincenzo Nibali, who now has a 4:02 over his closest rival, Australian Cadel Evans, with two stages to race. The Italian sits in 26th place overall at just over 33min behind Nibali.

A former race winner, in 2007, Di Luca has a doping past. He returned two positive doping tests from samples taken during the 2009 edition of the race, which he finished as runner-up behind Russian Denis Menchov. Di Luca denied doping at that time but finally confessed and earned a more lenient sanction. Instead of a two-year ban, he was suspended for 15 months. Di Luca also returned abnormal results from test samples at the 2007 edition of the race, which he won. It prompted a prosecutor to demand a two-year ban, but the cyclist was cleared at the 11th hour by the Italian Olympic Committee (CONI) due to a lack of evidence.

Nibali and Former Italian Legends

5/24/2013

Italians love their history, particularly their cycling history. Last Sunday, because the summit of the Col du Galibier was buried in snow, the organizers of the Giro d’Italia decided to place the stage 15 finish line next to a memorial to Marco Pantani, where he made the decisive attack that won him the 1998 Tour de France. The 2013 Galibier winner was another Italian, Giovanni Visconti, who also won Wednesday’s stage 17 into Vicenza—where Campagnolo was celebrating the 80th anniversary of its founding.

It was a nice coincidence (or was it?) that Visconti was riding a bike equipped with Campagnolo components, including its groundbreaking electronic shifters. That’s the latest in a long line of innovative products that have emerged from the Vicenza factory since founder Tullio Campagnolo first thought of ways in which to improve the performance of the bicycle in the late-1920s.

When he was a 26-year-old bike racer, Campagnolo experienced problems with removing a wheel to change a flat tire on the Passo Croce d’Aune in the Dolomiti Bellunesi mountains, 100 kilometers north of Vicenza. The legend has it that Campagnolo was leading the GP de Vittoria road race and that the wheel problem cost him the victory. It was snowing on the Croce d’Aune pass when Campagnolo’s freezing fingers were unable to unscrew the wing nut. Frustrated, he was said to mutter, “Something must change in the rear!”

Three years later, in 1930, he patented the world’s very first quick-release hub mechanisms, and began selling them in 1933 after founding his manufacturing business in Vicenza. Another of his inventions was a rudimentary derailleur gear, which went into production in 1940. Campagnolo eventually supplied the world’s best racers with his accessories…to win Grand Tours, classics and world championships.

At Tullio Campagnolo’s funeral in 1983, Eddy Merckx gave a eulogy, saying, “Dear Commendatore [the Italian inventor’s military title], I’ve shared with you every success. You finished first with me, seven times, in Milan-San Remo, and you were with me in the snow, the day when I climbed victoriously the Tre Cime di Lavaredo….” Merckx says that his Tre Cime stage win at the 1968 Giro remains one of his top three athletic performances, along with his 1969 Tour de France title and his world hour record.

Thirty years after giving that eulogy, Merckx, a five-time Giro champion (as well as the winner of five Tours and innumerable classics and world titles), returned to Campagnolo’s world headquarters in Vicenza for the Italian company’s 80th anniversary celebrations, along with several other Giro winners, including Vittorio Adorni, Felice Gimondi, Andy Hampsten, Miguel Induráin and Francesco Moser.

Also being celebrated this week was the 15th anniversary of Pantani’s Giro-Tour double (a feat that has not been replicated); the 20th anniversary of Induráin’s repeat Giro victory (again, no one has won the Giro back-to-back since then); the 25th anniversary of Hampsten’s epic Giro success, which saw him take his first maglia rosa after a breakaway over the Passo di Gávia in a blizzard; and the 45th anniversary of Merckx’s very first Giro victory, which was highlighted by his historic Tre Cime stage win.

After 11 stages in that 1968 Giro, the 23-year-old Merckx was lying second to Italian Michele Dancelli by one-and-a-half minutes. The 12th stage began at Gorizia in the far northeast of Italy, which meant the riders tackled the Tre Cime climb from the plains, close to sea level, up to the dead-end road’s 7,677-foot summit just below the famed “Three Peaks of Lavaredo” in the Dolomites.

That day, a 12-strong breakaway raced clear in torrential rain to gain almost 10 minutes before reaching the first uphill slopes. Wearing the rainbow jersey of world champion, Merckx started to chase the leaders on his own, followed by fellow Belgian Willy Van Neste. The rain turned to snow when Merckx was still seven minutes behind the break, which was being led by climbers Joaquim Galera and Giancarlo Polidori.

Merckx had to change bikes at one point, which allowed Van Neste to go ahead. The world champ caught and passed Van Neste with 4 kilometers still to climb—the hardest and steepest part of the climb with 18-percent pitches—when he was still 3:30 behind Galera and Polidori. Climbing through a mountain mist in his bobbing style, shaking off the freezing snow, Merckx overtook first Galera, then Polidori, and crossed the finish line solo.

Polidori was second at 40 seconds, Merckx’s Italian teammate Adorni came in third at 54 seconds, Van Neste was three minutes behind, and race leader Dancelli finished with defending champion Gimondi more than six minutes back. Merckx took over the maglia rosa that day and eventually won the 1968 Giro by five minutes over Adorni and nine minutes ahead of third-place Gimondi.

This Saturday, the Giro is due to return to the Tre Cime at the end of a 203-kilometer stage that (weather permitting) will cross four mountain passes before completing the day up that wicked final stretch where Merckx was so dominant 45 years ago. If the snow doesn’t make the organizers change the course, the Italian tifosi will be cheering for their new cycling superstar, Vincenzo Nibali, to crown his superb Giro ride that has already taken him more than four minutes ahead of his closest rivals, Cadel Evans and Rigoberto Uran. And just like Merckx, Gimondi, Adorni, Hampsten, Moser and Induráin before him, Team Astana’s Nibali will be riding a bike fully equipped by Campagnolo.

If Nibali succeeds this weekend, then at various points in history, the Italians will celebrate a host of Nibali anniversaries, and likely erect a monument to the popular rider from Sicily, maybe up on the Tre Cime. Forza, Italia!

You can follow John at twitter.com @johnwilcockson

19th Stage of Giro d'Italia Cancelled

5/23/2013

Heavy snow at altitude has forced the cancellation of the Giro d'Italia's 19th stage, organizers said Friday. On the first of two consecutive stages in the Dolomites, the peloton was due to tackle two major mountain passes - the Gavia and the Stelvio, the latter, at 2,758 meters, being the highest point of the race's 96th edition. That plan was virtually abandoned late on Thursday when organizers, fearing for the safety of the peloton, announced a 'Plan B' with the Gavia and Stelvio replaced by the Tonale and Castrin mountain passes. However it was discovered early on Friday that the Tonale pass was also snowbound.

A short statement posted by organisers on their Twitter feed said: "Due to adverse weather conditions and, in particular, snow on the stage route in its entirety, stage 19 has been cancelled." The decision was welcomed by riders in the peloton, who this year have raced in atrocious weather conditions in what has been an unseasonably wet and cold spring.

Julian Dean, an assistant sports director with the Orica-GreenEdge team, said: "I'd say the boys are relieved + content w/ the decision that was made. No one wants to deal with conditions like this." On Thursday, race leader Vincenzo Nibali of Italy extended his advantage over his closest rival, Australian Cadel Evans, to 4min 02sec after winning a 20.6 km uphill time trial.

Although the cancellation of the stage essentially robbed Evans of a chance to try to close the gap on Nibali, the Australian did not seem vexed with the decision. He gave an indication of the conditions to be expected near 2,000 meters when he posted a message on his Twitter feed, which said: "Snow still falling here at our Giro Hotel...and we are at 1000m lower altitude than the proposed climbs."

The race finishes in Brescia on Sunday.

Plan B for Giro Mountain Stage

5/23/2013

Giro d'Italia organizers have made plans to start the race's 19th stage on an alternative route as weather conditions continue to play havoc with the course. On the first of two consecutive days in the Dolomite mountains Friday, the peloton was due to tackle two major mountain passes - the Gavia and the Stelvio, the latter, at 2,758 meters, being the highest point of the 96th edition. However as road workers battled to clear snow and ice from both mountain passes amid fears the peloton could be forced to ride in temperatures as low as minus 14 degrees Celsius, an alternate course was announced.

It will still start in Ponte di Legno but now take the peloton over the Tonale mountain pass (1,883m) with the second climb being the Passo Castrin (1,706m). The 22.4 km climb to Val Martello, which featured on the original stage profile, is the third and last climb on the stage and will host the stage finish. At 160 km long, the stage is 21 km longer than the original. However the two new mountain passes, on paper, appear easier than either the Gavia or the Stelvio.

Italian Vincenzo Nibali took a giant step towards his maiden Giro d'Italia triumph on Thursday by winning a 20.6 km uphill time trial that was hit by torrential rain. Australian rival Cadel Evans began the day only 1min 26sec behind the Italian, but the 2011 Tour de France champion flattered to deceive on his way to a 25th place at 2:36 behind which leaves him 4:02 in arrears.

Nibali Wins Giro Mountain Time Trial

5/23/2013

Italian Vincenzo Nibali took a giant step towards his maiden Giro d'Italia triumph by smashing his rivals on his way to winning a rain-soaked 18th stage uphill time trial from Mori to Polsa on Thursday. Australian Cadel Evans began the day only 1:26 behind the Italian with two key mountain stages to go, but flattered to deceive on his way to finishing nearly three minutes behind.

Ahead of the two mountain stages in the Dolomites, which may have to be altered depending on the severity of the wintry weather expected at high altitude, Nibali now leads Evans by 4:02. Colombian Rigoberto Uran is in third place overall at 4:12 with former pink jersey winner Michele Scarponi, who is aiming for a podium finish, fourth at 5:14. It was Nibali's first stage win of this year's race, and third overall, and should be enough to see him become the first Italian to win the Giro since Scarponi was handed the 2011 title after Alberto Contador of Spain was disqualified for doping.

"I have a significant advantage now and that will allow me to control the coming two stages in more tranquil fashion," said Nibali, who rides for the Astana team. Nibali, the 2010 Tour of Spain winner and runner-up on the 2011 Giro d'Italia, came to this year's race extra determined having been pushed into third place by Bradley Wiggins at last year's Tour de France.

However few expected the Italian to dominate as he did on a rolling, uphill course that was suited to the climbing specialists. Spaniard Samuel Sanchez, whose overall victory hopes have faded steadily since the start of the three-week race, set the early pace from among the big names in a time of 45:27 - when the course was still fairly dry. It allowed Euskaltel's team leader to take the provisional lead with a time that was 22secs faster than Italian Damiano Caruso but, despite heavy rain hitting the course later on, Sanchez was unceremoniously pushed into second place when Nibali, punching his arms in triumph, posted a time that was 58 seconds faster. Caruso (Cannondale) finished third on the stage at 1:20, with Scarponi (Lampre) fourth at 1:21 and Uran (Sky) sixth at 1:26.

Wiggins began the Giro as Nibali's main threat, but the Englishman, as well as Canada's defending champion Ryder Hesjedal, quit the race due to illness last week. The race finishes on Sunday with a mainly flat 197 km stage from Riese Pio X to Brescia.

Giro d'Italia Stage 18

1. Vincenzo Nibali (ITA/AST) 44:29

2. Samuel Sanchez (ESP/EUS) @ :58

3. Damiano Caruso (ITA/CAN) @ 1:20

4. Michele Scarponi (ITA/LAM) @ 1:21

5. Rafal Majka (POL/TST) @ 1:25

6. Rigoberto Uran (COL/SKY) @ 1:26

7. Carlos Betancur (COL/A2R) @ 1:32

8. Stef Clement (NED/BLA) @ 1:36

9. Dario Cataldo (ITA/SKY) @ 1:41

10. Danilo Di Luca (ITA/VIN) @ 1:52

General Classification After Stage 18

1. Vincenzo Nibali (ITA/AST) 73:55:58

2. Cadel Evans (AUS/BMC) @ 4:02

3. Rigoberto Uran (COL/SKY) @ 4:12

4. Michele Scarponi (ITA/LAM) @ 5:14

5. Przemyslaw Niemiec (POL/LAM) @ 6:09

6. Rafal Majka (POL/TST) @ 6:45

7. Carlos Betancur (COL/ALM) @ 6:47

8. Mauro Santambrogio (ITA/VIN) @ 7:30

9. Benat Intxausti (ESP/MOV) @ 8:36

10. Samuel Sanchez (ESP/EUS) @ 9:34

Visconti Leaps Away for Stage 17 Victory

5/22/2013

May 22, 2013 - Italian Giovanni Visconti soloed to victory in the 17th stage of the Giro d'Italia on Wednesday to hand his Movistar team their fourth win of the race. Overall race leader Vincenzo Nibali (Astana) retained the pink jersey with a 1min 26sec lead on Australian rival Cadel Evans (BMC) intact after the 214 km ride from Caravaggio to Vicenza. Nibali won the Tour of Spain in 2010, was a runner-up on the Giro in 2011 and also finished third at last year's Tour de France.

Despite having the chance to take a step closer to his first 'maglia rosa' (pink jersey) on Thursday's 18th stage, an uphill time trial over 20.6 km, the Italian refused to rule out the threat of 2011 Tour de France champion Evans. But he said he would still remain cautious of Evans in the event he stretched his lead over the Australian to two minutes ahead of two key stages in the high mountains.

"I've always done well on mountain time trials," said Nibali. "Two minutes would be a good lead. But I don't want to make any predictions. Evans has always been up at the front of the race and he's pedaling very well."

It is Visconti's second stage win of this year's race following his triumphant climb to the finish on the Galibier on stage 15 and adds to stage wins by teammates Alex Dowsett and Benat Intxausti.

Britain's Mark Cavendish, meanwhile, dropped out of contention for a potential bunch sprint finish after struggling on the stage's only climb, whose summit was 18 km from the finish.

It was on the latter part of the Crosara climb that Visconti made his move, the Italian attacking from the main peloton and catching, then overtaking, leading pair Danilo Di Luca (Vini Fantini) and Miguel Rubiano (Androni).

Rubiano tried to follow, but Visconti upped the pace after cresting the climb and quickly went on to build a 30-sec lead which proved decisive. Ramunas Navardauskas was next over the finish line 19sec later, the Lithuanian, who rides for Garmin, raising his hands in the air in the mistaken belief he had won the stage. It is the second such occurance in the race. On stage nine Colombian Carlos Betancur raised his arms in triumph shortly after Russian Maxim Belkov had claimed the honors.

After the 18th stage time trial, Friday and Saturday's stages are both scheduled to be held at high altitude in the Italian Dolomites, although both could be altered by race organizers due to the expectation of snow and freezing conditions.

The 96th edition of the race finishes Sunday in Brescia.

Giro d'Italia Stage 17
1.Giovanni Visconti (ITA/MOV) 5:15:34
2. Ramunas Navardauskas (LTU/GRM) @ :19
3. Luka Mezgec (SLO/ARG) s.t.
4. Filippo Pozzato (ITA/LAM) s.t.
5. Danilo Hondo (GER/RSH) s.t.
6. Salvatore Puccio (ITA/SKY) s.t.
7. Sacha Modolo (ITA/AND) s.t.
8. Fabio Felline (ITA/AND) s.t.
9. Francisco Ventoso (ESP/MOV) s.t.
10. Cadel Evans (AUS/BMC) s.t.

General classification After Stage 17
1. Vincenzo Nibali (ITA/AST) 73:11:29
2. Cadel Evans (AUS/BMC) at 1:26
3. Rigoberto Uran (COL/SKY) 2:46
4. Michele Scarponi (ITA/LAM) 3:53
5. Przemyslaw Niemiec (POL/LAM) 4:13
6. Mauro Santambrogio (ITA/FAR) 4:57
7. Carlos Betancur (COL/ALM) 5:15
8. Rafal Majka (POL/SAX) 5:20
9. Benat Intxausti (ESP/MOV) 5:47
10. Robert Gesink (NED/BLA) 7:24

Selected: 15. Samuel Sanchez (ESP/EUS) 8:36

Intxausti Grabs Giro d'Italia Stage 16

5/21/2013

Astana's Vincenzo Nibali kept possession of the Giro d'Italia race leader's pink jersey for another night after a strong showing in Tuesday's 16th stage. Benat Intxausti of Spain, riding for the Movistar team, won the stage, a 238km ride from the French resort of Valloire, in 5:52:48. Intxausti beat Estonian Tanel Kangert into second in a sprint finish, with Nibali and his rivals in the general classification, Australian Cadel Evans and Colombian Rigoberto Uran, coming in as part of the same peloton 14 seconds behind. Evans stands 1:26 off Nibali, with Uran 2:46 off the Italian's pace. The big loser of the day's racing was Mauro Santambrogi, the Vini Fantini rider starting in fourth overall but losing more than two minutes.

A 22-rider breakaway formed several times in the ascent of Mont-Cenis mountain frontier between France and Italy, Nibali and his team content to hand them a lead that once stretched to almost five minutes. However, they were eventually reeled back in with 20km to race, with Astana taking up the lead Evans and Uran reeled in Nibali's group 11.5km from the finish after the Italian had gone on the attack down a spectacular descent that featured a series of hairpin turns. Kangert then attacked and at the 6km mark took with him Intxausti, Lampre's Polish rider Przemyslaw Niemiec and Dutchman Robert Gesink, who was later knocked out of the equation with a flat tire. Intxausti, competing in the Giro for a third time, took his moment perfectly for the a first-ever stage win on a Grand Tour.

The 17th stage on Wednesday sees the riders tackle a 214km course between Caravaggio and Vincenza, before three testing stages.

Giro d'Italia Stage 16

1. Benat Intxausti (ESP/MOV) 5hr 52min 48sec

2. Tanel Kangert (EST/AST) @ s.t.

3. Przemyslaw Niemiec (POL/LAM)

4. Ramunas Navardauskas (LTU/GRM) @ :14

5. Cadel Evans (AUS/BMC) @ s.t.

6. Franco Pellizotti (ITA/AND)

7. Michele Scarponi (ITA/LAM)

8. Rafal Majka (POL/SAX)

9. Jose Herrada (ESP/MOV)

10. Carlos Betancur (COL/ALM)

General Classification After Stage 16

1. Vincenzo Nibali (ITA/AST) 67:55:36

2. Cadel Evans (AUS/BMC) @ 1:26

3. Rigoberto Uran (COL/SKY) @ 2:46

4. Michele Scarponi (ITA/LAM) @ 3:53

5. Przemyslaw Niemiec (POL/LAM) @ 4:13

6. Mauro Santambrogio (ITA/FAR) @ 4:57

7. Carlos Betancur (COL/ALM) @ 5:15

8. Rafal Majka (POL/SAX) @ 5:20

9. Benat Intxausti (ESP/MOV) @ 5:47

10. Domenico Pozzovivo (ITA/ALM) @ 7:34

Leipheimer Retires

5/20/2013

Levi Leipheimer, teamless since last fall after admitting to doping, has retired from professional cycling, a US newspaper reported. The American was fired by Omega Pharma in October following his admission during an investigation by the United States Anti-Doping Agency into shamed compatriot Lance Armstrong.

"I'm retired," he told The Press Democrat on Sunday on the sidelines of the final stage of the Amgen Tour of California. "It's just been an unceremoniously retired," Leipheimer said. "I sort of miss racing. I still love riding my bike."

The 39-year-old veteran, who rode with Armstrong for US Postal in 2000 and 2001 and then again with Discovery Channel in 2007, served a six month suspension imposed by USADA that ended March 1. Leipheimer admitted to taking several banned substances including EPO and testosterone, as well as using blood transfusions, which are prohibited. His results between June 1, 1999, to July 30, 2006 and July 7 to July 29, 2007, the periods of time he admitted to doping as he continued with other teams such as Rabobank and Gerolsteiner, were erased from the record.

Bontrager's New All-Weather Tires

5/20/2013

In the very first issue of peloton we introduced you to a company called Wheel Energy. Deep in the Finnish tundra (well, an hour outside of Helsinki) a few engineers have created a tire junkies heaven. They take tires and check their rolling resistance, their traction in dry and wet and every other conceivable aspect of tire performance. As a completely independent test lab they have made a business of speaking truth to power. The biggest brands in cycling come to them to find out just how their tires match up to the competition.

When Bontrager wanted to redesign their AW tires, all-weather tires, they had some lofty goals - divorce flat protection from a heavy, rigid ride, create traction and longevity that work hand-in-hand. Knowing that everyone can benefit from a race tire’s feel, but most riders will never race and don’t want to sacrifice durability and flat protection, they decided to go after race feel without the delicate persona. Their new AW3 HCL is the tire tasked with delivering all of this.

When they presented it to Wheel Energy the Finn’s put it through its paces and presented the results, which were pretty amazing. Compared to other all-season tires designed for flat protection and durability the AW3 HCL presents less rolling resistance, in some cases much less, up to 25watt saving. For a training ride averaging 200 watts those are very significant savings – the difference between feeling fresh and lively and feeling slow and sluggish.

The protection comes from an aramid layer for debris protection under the tread, but it does not extend to the sidewalls to keep them supple and light. This is called Hard Case Light, a Hard Case style is also available with an aramid layer under the tread, an anti cut layer and pinch flat resistant sidewalls. These tires come in an entry level AW1 for $30, an AW2 mid range tire and the top of the line AW3 for $70. The top of the line AW3 HCL tire weighs under 240grams, which is average for a race day tire, and game-changingly light for an all-purpose training tire. Yes, we know ‘game-changingly’ is not a word, but it seemed appropriate. The tires are available from 23mm all the way out to 32mm.

Sadly, the tires are not yet available as part of Bontrager’s extensive tubeless ready offerings. The problems the AW tires aim to solve are the same thing tubeless solves and with the new, wide Hutchinson Sector 28 getting so much press, a tubeless 28mm Bontrager tire would be very well received, but we will have to wait and see if that tire is forthcoming. We have a set of the new AW tires en-route for long term test where we will weigh them, measure them and ride them, to see if they live up to the hype. Stay tuned.

More: bontrager.com

Van Garderen Wins Tour of California

5/19/2013

Tejay van Garderen, fifth in last year's Tour de France, captured the Tour of California on Sunday, sealing his first career stage-race triumph in the final stage. Slovakia's Peter Sagan won the eighth and final stage, which took the riders out of San Francisco via the iconic Golden Gate Bridge to a finish in Santa Rosa. Van Garderen won the overall title in a total time of 29 hours and 43 minutes. Australia's Michael Rogers was second overall, 1:47 back, with Colombia's Janier Acevedo third.

BMC rider Van Garderen, a 24-year-old American, continued a superb start to the year that has seen him finish fourth in the Paris-Nice and second at the Tour de San Luis ahead of his breakthrough victory.

"It's a big relief. It's a weight off my shoulders, a monkey off my back," van Garderen said. "Hopefully this gets the ball rolling and we get a few more."

The triumph came shortly after he became a father with the birth of his first child.

"Maybe becoming a daddy was the difference," said van Garderen, who cradled his tiny daughter on the podium. "I'm a bit more relaxed and a bit more mature. I just had to be patient."

Sagan won his second stage win of the week after capturing the third leg, and notched the 10th Tour of California stage win of his career. His Cannondale squad led the peloton in the final 10 kilometers, closing in on Bontrager's Antoine Duchesne, who was the last survivor of an early break. The Cannondale riders turned back a challenge from Garmin and Sagan launched his sprint to the finish with 200 meters to go, winning the 130.6 kilometers stage in 3:04:07 ahead of Austrian Daniel Schorn and American Tyler Farrar.

Van Garderen, meanwhile, finished safely in the pack to secure the win. He had first donned the yellow jersey after Thursday's fifth stage and strengthened his hold on the lead with a triumph in Friday's individual time trial. Van Garderen finished third in Saturday's penultimate stage, one spot ahead of Saxo rider Rogers, the 2010 Tour of California winner.

Tour of California Stage 8

1. Peter Sagan (SVK/Cannondale) 3:04:07

2. Daniel Schorn (AUT) @ s.t.

3. Tyler Farrar (USA)

4. Gianni Meersman (BEL)

5. Ken Hanson (USA)

6. Thor Hushovd (NOR)

7. Michael Matthews (AUS)

8. Jake Keough (USA)

9. Sylvain Chavanel (FRA)

10. Matt Brammeier (IRL)

Final General Classification

1. Tejay van Garderen (USA/BMC) 29:43:00

2. Michael Rogers (AUS) @ 1:47

3. Janier Acevedo (COL) @ 3:26

4. Mathias Frank (SUI) @ 3:32

5. Cameron Meyer (AUS) @ 3:33

6. Matthew Busche (USA) @ 3:50

7. Francisco Mancebo (ESP) @ 4:52

8. Lawson Craddock (USA) @ 5:24

9. Philip Deignan (IRL) @ 5:33

10. Chad Haga (USA) @ 5:52

Visconti Wins Giro Stage 15 on the Galibier

5/19/2013

May 19, 2013 - Giovanni Visconti won the 15th stage of the Giro d'Italia on Sunday after a mountain finish in the snow following a 149km ride from Cesana Torinese to Col du Galibier. The Italian from the Movistar team held off a charge from the depleted peloton, made up of race favorites, to take his maiden Giro stage by 42 seconds from Carlos Betancur and Prezemyslaw Niemiec.

Ahead of the second and final rest day, Vincenzo Nibali held onto the leader's pink jersey after coming home in seventh, 54 seconds down.

The finishing line had been brought 4km down the mountain due to the adverse weather conditions at the top of the Galibier. But given the thick sheet of snow around the riders as they tackled the final climb, and snow flakes peppering their faces, that would have been something of a relief.

Having broken clear of his six fellow breakaway companions on the penultimate climb up the Telegraphe, Visconti reached the Galibier with a couple of minutes on his chasers. And the 30-year-old Sicilian held on up to the finish at 2,301 meters, alongside a monument to former Italian champion Marco Pantani, before collapsing exhausted after the finishing line.

"There are no words to describe that, I'm delighted, I'm delighted," said Visconti, who was briefly banned for three months last year due to his links to disgraced doctor Michele Ferrari. "Today we saw who I am, not what I've shown this last year. I was born the same day as Marco Pantani, January 13. Maybe today he helped me."

Any hopes of fireworks amongst the overall contenders failed to materialize on the draining final climb. Nibali briefly stretched his legs but gained little and was quickly reeled back in before the favorites all came home in the same bunch. Australian Cadel Evans remains second at 1min 26sec with Colombia's Rigoberto Uran third at 2min 46sec.

"They were extreme conditions, I tried to shake things up at the end but it was very difficult because of the cold," said Nibali. "It really was very cold. It was an important day but the result is good. I have a good advantage, although it would have been better iof I'd gained a bit of time. Evans is still very close and Uran still needs to be taken into consideration."

Results From Stage 15:

1. Giovanni Visconti (ITA/MOV) 4hr 40min 48sec
2. Carlos Betancur (COL/ALM) at 42sec
3. Przemyslaw Niemiec (POL/LAM) same time
4. Rafal Majka (POL/SAX) s.t.
5. Fabio Duarte (COL/COL) 47
6. Michele Scarponi (ITA/LAM) 54
7. Vincenzo Nibali (ITA/AST) s.t.
8. Cadel Evans (AUS/BMC) s.t.
9. Mauro Santambrogio (ITA/VIN) s.t.
10. Rigoberto Uran (COL/SKY) s.t.
11. Robert Kiserlovski (CRO/RSH) s.t.
12. Damiano Caruso (ITA/CAN) 58
13. Franco Pellizotti (ITA/AND) s.t.
14. Wilco Kelderman (NED/BLA) 1:00
15. Yury Trofimov (RUS/KAT) s.t.

Selected others: 16. Samuel Sanchez (ESP/EUS) 1:06, 17. Danilo Di Luca (ITA/VIN) 1:09, 23. Domenico Pozzovivo (ITA/ALM) 1:39, 26. Robert Gesink (NED/BLA) 1:52, 148. Mark Cavendish (GBR/OPQ) 27:54.

Van Garderen Holds on Mt. Diablo

5/18/2013

Leopold Koenig won the seventh stage of the Tour of California atop Mt. Diablo on Saturday, while overall leader Tejay van Garderen's third place finish had him poised to win the title on Sunday. Czech rider Koenig gave the NetApp team its first stage win in the Tour of California, holding off an aggressive Janier Acevedo three kilometers from the summit of Mt. Diablo. BMC's van Garderen finished third, 12 seconds behind Koenig to keep the yellow jersey he first donned after Thursday's fifth stage and retained with his triumph in Friday's individual time trial.

"I'm thrilled. I'm still soaking it in," said van Garderen, who is now set to seal his first career stage-race triumph in Sunday's final, 129.9km stage from San Francisco to Santa Rosa. "It was an unbelievable team effort," said van Garderen in praising his team's efforts on the hors categorie climb. "I knew they were strong, I knew they'd be motivated, but they went above and beyond expectations today. They made my life somewhat easy, although it still was a hard day."

The 24-year-old American, who finished fifth in the Tour de France last year, has already made a strong start to the season, with a fourth place finish in the Paris-Nice and a runner-up finish at the Tour de San Luis. Australian Saxo rider Michael Rogers, the Tour of California winner in 2010, finished in fourth to maintain his second place in the overall standings.

Tour of California Stage 7

1. Leopold Koenig (CZE/NetApp) 3:54:18

2. Janier Acevedo (COL) @ :07

3. Tejay van Garderen (USA) @ :12

4. Michael Rogers (AUS) @ s.t.

5. Mathias Frank (SUI) @ :23

6. Matthew Busche (USA) @ :29

7. Lawson Craddock (USA) @ :32

8. Francisco Mancebo (ESP) @ :38

9. Jose Joao Pimenta (POR) @ :44

10. Marc de Maar (AHO) @ s.t.

General Classification After Stage 7

1. Tejay van Garderen (USA/BMC) 26:38:53

2. Michael Rogers (AUS) @ 1:47

3. Janier Acevedo (COL) @ 3:26

4. Mathias Frank (SUI) @ 3:32

5. Cameron Meyer (AUS) @ 3:33

6. Matthew Busche (USA) @ 3:50

7. Francisco Mancebo (ESP) @ 4:52

8.Lawson Craddock (USA) @ 5:24

9. Philip Deignan (IRL) @ 5:33

10. Chad Haga (USA) @ 5:52

Santambrogio Wins Giro Stage 14

5/18/2013

Race leader Vincenzo Nibali extended his lead over Australia's Cadel Evans as Mauro Santambrogio won a shortened 14th stage of the Giro d'Italia to claim his maiden win on the race Saturday. Italian Nibali, of the Astana team, came over the finish line in second place after giving his fellow Italian, of the Vini Farini team, the nod to take the stage win unhindered.

Evans, the 2011 Tour de France champion, who started the day 41 seconds behind Nibali, crossed the finish line 33 seconds behind. Saturday's stage in the high Italian Alps was due to finish in Sestriere, but was shortened by organisers due to fears over cold and wet conditions on the final descent. As snow and rain fell at high altitude, the finish line was lowered to 1908 meters at Jafferau, where BMC leader Evans and Colombian Rigoberto Uran (Team Sky) fell off the pace in a final kilometre which proved just too steep for the duo.

Nibali's hopes of a maiden Giro win were boosted earlier this week when main rival Bradley Wiggins (Team Sky) and defending champion Ryder Hesjedal (Garmin) pulled out due to illness. In the overall standings the Sicilian now has a lead of 1:26 over Evans, and 2:46 on Uran, who has taken the mantle of Sky's team leader after Wiggins's retirement from the race.

Santambrogio's win, meanwhile, pushed the 28-year-old up to fourth place overall but he is nearly three minutes off the pace and not considered a threat to Nibali. After the race was shortened by 12km, from 180km to 168km, a four-man group broke from the peloton and went on to build a lead of nearly eight and a half minutes. They held a four-minute lead at the foot of the final climb, a 7.3km ascent with an average gradient of nine percent. However they were reeled in one by one as the battle for the stage win and for the pickings in the overall race took hold.

Sunday's 15th stage, due to finish on the summit of the legendary Galibier climb in France, has also been altered due to poor weather conditions. The finish line will now be moved from the Galibier's altitude of 2642 metres to 2301 meters, at the site of a statue commemorating fallen Italian champion Marco Pantani.

Giro d'Italia Stage 14

1. Mauro Santambrogio (ITA/VIN) 4:42:55

2. Vincenzo Nibali (ITA/AST) @ s.t.

3. Carlos Betancur (COL/ALM) @ :09

4. Samuel Sanchez (ESP/EUS) @ :26

5. Rigoberto Uran (COL/SKY) @ :30

6. Cadel Evans (AUS/BMC) @ :33

7. Domenico Pozzovivo (ITA/ALM) @ s.t.

8. Robert Kiserlovski (CRO/RSH)

9. Sonny Colbrelli (ITA/BAR) @ :55

10. Damiano Caruso (ITA/CAN) @ :58

General Classification After Stage 14

1. Vincenzo Nibali (ITA/AST) 57:20:52

2. Cadel Evans (AUS/BMC) @ 1:26

3. Rigoberto Uran (COL/SKY) @ 2:46

4. Mauro Santambrogio (ITA/VIN) @ 2:47

5. Michele Scarponi (ITA/LAM) @ 3:53

6. Przemyslaw Niemiec (POL/LAM) @ 4:55

7. Domenico Pozzovivo (ITA/ALM) @ 5:12

8. Rafal Majka (POL/SAX) @ 5:32

9. Carlos Betancour (COL/ALM) @ 5:39

10. Benat Intxausti (ESP/MOV) @ 5:51

Van Garderen Wins TOC Time Trial

5/17/2013

American BMC rider Tejay van Garderen strengthened his grip on the overall lead in the Tour of California on Friday with a victory in the individual time trial sixth stage. The 24-year-old was the only rider to break 49 minutes on the 31.6-kilometer (19.6-mile) course, winning in 48:52 to extend his lead in the overall standings over Australian Michael Rogers, winner of the 2010 edition, to 1:47.

Van Garderen's time was 22 seconds faster than runner up Lieuwe Westra of the Netherlands. Australian Garmin rider Rohan Dennis was third, 27 seconds back. Rogers finished fourth to remain in second place overall, while fellow Aussie Cameron Meyer's sixth-place finish saw him move up to third in the standings with two stages remaining. Van Garderen used his time trial bike throughout, opting against a change to a standard road bike for the final ascent to the finish.

"I'm really struggling for words right now," said Van Garderen, buoyed by the arrival of his wife and infant daughter to the stage. "This feeling's incredible. Now we just need to bring it home on Saturday."

Saturday's 147.1-kilometer stage seven will take the riders on a punishing route from Livermore to the summit of Mt. Diablo. Van Garderen, a rising star of US cycling, was fifth in the Tour de France last season at the age of 23 and a victory on Sunday would give him the first stage race title of his career.

He has already made a strong start to the season, with a fourth place finish in the Paris-Nice and a runner-up finish at the Tour de San Luis.

Tour of California Stage 6

1. Tejay van Garderen (USA/BMC) 48:52

2. Lieuwe Westra (NED) @ :22

3. Rohan Dennis (AUS) @ :27

4. Michael Rogers (AUS) @ 1:05

5. Marco Pinotti (ITA) @ 1:08

6. Cameron Meyer (AUS) @ 1:27

7. Bob Jungels (LUX) @ 1:28

8. Leopold Koenig (CZE) @ 1:43

9. Mathias Frank (SUI) @ 1:45

10. Sylvain Chavanel (FRA) @ 1:48

General Classification After Stage 6

1. Tejay van Garderen (USA/BMC) 22:44:24

2. Michael Rogers (AUS) @ 1:47

3. Cameron Meyer (AUS) @ 2:57

4. Mathias Frank (SUI) @ 3:21

5. Janier Acevedo (COL) @ 3:31

6. Matthew Busche (USA) @ 3:33

7. Francisco Mancebo (ESP) @ 4:26

8. Philip Deignan (IRL) @ 4:52

9. Chad Haga (USA) @ 5:02

10. Lawson Craddock (USA) @ 5:04

Cavendish Makes it Four

5/17/2013

Mark Cavendish claimed his fourth win of the 96th Giro d'Italia on Friday after sprinting to victory in the 13th stage, at 254 km the longest of the race, from Busseto to Cherasco. Italian Vincenzo Nibali remained in the race leader's pink jersey with Australia's Cadel Evans in second place at 41 seconds. Earlier, top favourite Bradley Wiggins and defending champion Ryder Hesjedal pulled out of the race due to illness.

Cavendish, a former world champion from the Isle of Man, took his 13th win from five editions on the Giro on Thursday. A number of teams, including Australians Orica-GreenEdge, whose top sprinter is Matt Goss, had hoped to stop the Manxman dominating again on one of the last remaining chances for the non-climbers. However their top finisher was Goss's lead-out man, Brett Lancaster, who finished in fourth, ahead of Italian Elia Viviani.

After Viviani's Cannondale team had taken over the fast pace-setting in the final kilometre Cavendish began his sprint early but held on to keep Italian Giacomo Nizzolo and Slovenian Luka Mezgec off his wheel at the finish line. Earlier, a seven-man breakaway enjoyed a lead of nearly 14 minutes after escaping from the peloton at the 21km mark. However efforts by Goss and Cavendish's respective teams soon ate into their sizeable advantage, with Spaniard Pablo Lastras the last rider from that escape to be caught with 15km to race by a small counter-attacking group. Italian Giampaolo Caruso managed to attack solo from the new lead group with around 6.5 km remaining but was reeled in with 1.5 km left of the 4km home straight.

Cavendish, who turns 28 next week, now has 14 Giro wins, 23 Tour de France wins and three stage wins from the Tour of Spain. On Saturday's 14th stage the race heads into the high mountains for a 168 km run between Cervere and Bardonecchia, with the finish line at the end of a 7.3 km ascent to Jafferau, where Belgian legend Eddy Merckx prevailed on the Giro's last visit, in 1972.

Giro d'Italia Stage 13

1. Mark Cavendish (GBR/SKY) 6:09:55

2. Giacomo Nizzolo (ITA/RSH) @ s.t.

3. Luka Mezgec (SLO/ARG)

4. Brett Lancaster (AUS/ORI)

5. Elia Viviani (ITA/CAN)

6. Manuel Belletti (ITA/ALM)

7. Daniele Bennati (ITA/SAX)

8. Filippo Pozzato (ITA/LAM)

9. Anthony Roux (FRA/FDJ)

10. Miguel Angel Rubiano (COL/AND)

General Classification After Stage 12

1. Vincenzo Nibali (ITA/AST) 52:38:09

2. Cadel Evans (AUS/BMC) @ :41

3. Rigoberto Uran (COL/SKY) @ 2:04

4. Robert Gesink (NED/BLA) @ 2:12

5. Michele Scarponi (ITA/LAM) @ 2:13

6. Mauro Santambrogio (ITA/FAR) @ 2:55

7. Przemyslaw Niemiec (POL/LAM) @ 3:35

8. Benat Intxausti (ESP/MOV) @ 4:05

9. Domenico Pozzovivo (ITA/ALM) @ 4:17

10. Rafal Majka (POL/SAX) @ 4:21

Specialized Unveils Wind Tunnel

5/17/2013

Heading to the wind tunnel, and taking the compulsory snapshots of your products undergoing test, is now de-rigueur for cycling brands. Wheels started it, TT bikes and helmets followed and now even road bikes are sculpted in the tunnel. Hours spent in the tunnel are like a badge of honor in the cycling world. Specialized, like any major brand that likes to chase high performance and win bike races has certainly done their tunnel time. And thanks to last night’s unveiling they will be logging more tunnel time than ever.

Raising the bar, changing the game, call it what you will – Specialized bicycles has just unveiled their own wind tunnel, a five minute walk from their Morgan Hill HQ. This tunnel has been created as a bike specific tunnel from the moment pen hit paper. After developing bikes in tunnels designed for aerospace and motor sports Specialized engineers knew the changes they needed to make for bikes.

To create flow at human powered levels aerospace tunnels needed to essentially idle their fans as slowly as possible. This creates uneven flow during bike tests. Accuracy of measurement is also an issue, since the objects they typically test are much bigger and involve sometimes more than a thousand times the force a bike and rider will encounter. Every aspect of the Specialized tunnel is optimized for human speeds. The flow is designed to be incredibly clean and can run from zero to 100kilometers per hour. Six fans at the back of the tunnel pull air through the tunnel. At the front of the tunnel air is channeled through honeycomb tubes to clean it up, then passed though a tight mesh for further cleaning. The tunnel funnels down to a smaller diameter at the test section so air traveling 10mph at the inlet becomes 30mph at the test section and is cleaned up yet again. Smaller diameter is actually not a fair term since the test section is massive – 30’ long, 16’ wide and 10’ high. Specialized created it this size so they can actually test how aero changes in a pack of cyclists or riding next to a hedge or some tress. An added bonus is airflow is not affected, or ‘blocked’ in aero terms, by close-set walls or ceiling. As the air runs out the back of the tunnel it widens again to slow the air at the fans and also runs across carefully sculpted dividers between the fans to ensure no airflow bounces back into the test section.

Having created the cleanest airflow possible at human powered speeds Specialized needed to be able to measure its effects with incredible accuracy. The ‘force balance’, essentially a scale turned on its side, the bike is attached to occupies the six feet of space between the wind tunnel floor and the buildings floor. It is completely isolated form the rest of the tunnel and incredibly accurate. New Specialized aerodynamicist, Chirs Yu, likens its accuracy to a bathroom scale with the ability to determine if you are holding a 1gram paperclip as you jump up and down on it. Like other wind tunnels it can be turned to simulate crosswinds. In fact the tunnel, while the flow is designed to be perfect, can simulate the chaotic, real world wind shifts of a blustery day.

As important to Specialized as these two major points were - design for human speeds and the ability to accurately measure force at those speeds - they had another major requirement. Proximity. With the travel a big part of tunnel testing Specialized engineers would burn weeks prepping products and designing protocols knowing their time in the tunnel would be very limited. With their tunnel now only a short walk away they can dream up a concept on Monday, computer model it, rapid prototype it, manufacture it, validate it in the tunnel and be riding it by Friday. This type of rapid product development has previously been seen only in F1 according to Specialized’s Mark Cote, an MIT educated aerodynamicist.

Specialized has long been using CFD (Computational Fluid Dynamicts) and real world telemetry as a part of their aero research and development. Specialized believes the wind tunnel is what brings these two tools together to complete the aero R&D picture. It’s an R&D picture Specialized sees including much more than performance road or triathlon. They have had their cross country mountain bike athletes in the tunnel as well as down hill mountain bikers. They believe there are aero changes that can even improve commuting. Fit has been a big part of Specialized’s plans for many years now and the tunnel has a role to play here as well. The entire control room is set up like a classroom to help their dealers better understand how fit and aerodynamics work together.

Specialized has made a habit of forcing other companies to play catch up, from courting big name riders like Contador directly, irrespective of team, to sponsoring three WorldTour teams simultaneously, and this wind tunnel is no different. It’s a bold move, and like the other examples, must have been incredibly expensive. We are likely to see their development cycle ramp up significantly and more and more products released with thoroughly aerodynamic pedigree. How the rest of the industry reacts to this move remains to be seen, but if the engineers have anything to say about it, this won’t be the only bike specific wind tunnel launched by a major brand.

Hesjedal Quits Giro d'Italia

5/16/2013

Defending Giro d'Italia champion Ryder Hesjedal has pulled out of the three-week race due to worsening health conditions, according to his team Garmin. Hesjedal becomes the second overall victory contender to retire following the withdrawal, due to illness, of Britain's Tour de France champion Bradley Wiggins on Friday.

Hesjedal took many by surprise by winning last year's 'maglia rosa' (pink jersey) for the overall race winner to become the first Canadian to win a major Tour. And despite coming into this year's 96th edition in top form, Hesjedal has struggled to keep pace with the front of the peloton since the stage eight time trial.

Despite having a rest day at the start of this week, Hesjedal's form did not improve. On stage 10 he struggled on the first climb of the day, and then struggled to finish the stage.

"The conditions on yesterday's (Thursday) rainy, cold stage combined with Hesjedal's deteriorating physical condition proved too much and the defending champion will not take today's (Friday) start." said Garmin. "It's heartbreaking," said Hesjedal. "I built my entire season around the Giro and I came here feeling great, but I have been suffering since the TT (time trial).

"We're working on it, but we're not sure what's wrong. There's a virus that's been going around, so it could be that, or severe allergies, or going too deep on the TT combined with both - whatever it is, I'm only getting worse. Yesterday's stage was just too much for me, I fought to get through it and I know everyone suffered but after seeing the medical staff last night, I also know that its time for me to go home, get some tests done and get healthy again.

"I have tried my best to honor the number one bib number, the race, my team and fans and its devastating to leave this way. Going home now is heartbreaking."

Team doctor, Shannon Sovndal, added: "the athlete's health is our priority. We've been trying to uncover what's going on with Ryder. He came into the race in stellar form, ready to defend his title, and clearly he's been suffering since the TT. His condition is not improving so we decided it's time for him to go home, get testing done, and focus on getting healthy again."

Wiggins Out of Giro

5/16/2013

Bradley Wiggins, winner of last year's Tour de France, has pulled out of the Giro d'Italia due to illness, his team announced on Friday, ending a torrid race for the popular Briton. Team Sky said a decision was taken to withdraw the 33-year-old before the start of the 13th stage from Busseto to Cherasco in northern Italy "due to a worsening chest infection".

Wiggins had struggled in the race after a head cold turned into a chest infection and admitted on Thursday that he did not feel well. Weather conditions, as well as the hilly Giro course, worked against Wiggins, who had hoped to become the first Briton to win the famous grand tour after his victory in France last year. But he dropped more than three minutes off the pace during Thursday's 12th stage, struggling on a slippery descent to finish in 13th place overall, 5:22 behind the current leader, Italy's Vincenzo Nibali, of Astana. The stage was won by former world champion and ex-Sky rider Mark Cavendish.

"We monitored Bradley overnight and this morning we've withdrawn him from the Giro after consulting the team doctor," team principal Dave Brailsford was quoted as saying on teamsky.com. "Bradley will return to the UK today for treatment and to rest and we hope to have him back on the road as soon as possible," he said.

At 254 kilometers (158 miles), Friday's 13th stage is the longest of the race, from Busseto, the birthplace of composer Giuseppe Verdi, to Cherasco. The Giro d'Italia is one of cycling's most prestigious races and Wiggins had made winning the "maglia rosa" or pink jersey his primary objective before the sport's biggest showpiece, the Tour de France in July. But despite going into the race without a hitch, he found the going tougher than expected. The former track cyclist notably lost time in the early stages, falling on the seventh stage to Pescara and found himself unable to break free on descents made even more treacherous by bad weather.

Last year's Olympic time-trial gold medallist was disappointed by being unable to regain time against the clock in the eighth stage in Saltara, finishing 10 seconds behind his former team-mate, Briton Alex Dowsett. As a result, he was only able to claw back a few seconds on Nibali, who is 41 seconds ahead of Australia's Cadel Evans.

Wiggins' position became even more precarious on the hilly 10th stage finishing on Altopiano del Montasio, where he lagged 37 seconds behind his supposed lieutenant, Londoner Wiggins will now head home for treatment, with the start of the 100th edition of the Tour de France just over a month away. Team Sky, which has eight riders left in the Giro, will now work for Uran, who is 2:12 back on Nibali in third. Any defense of Wiggins' Tour de France crown looks a tall order, with the 100th edition of the race packed with mountain stages that and unlikely to be suited to Wiggins' style. In a role reversal from last year, he will work for team-mate and 2012 runner-up Chris Froome, who looks likely to be one of the favourites, with Spain's Alberto Contador.

Extreme Weather Threatens Cycling

5/16/2013

We have all marveled at the resilience of professional cyclists in the first few months of this 2013 racing season. They’ve competed in extremes of weather: from tropical humidity at Le Tour de Langkawi to sand-blasted, desert winds at the Tour of Qatar; from bitter cold and swirling snow at Milan-San Remo to burning 110-degree heat in the Tour of California; and, now, day after day of torrential rain (with snow in the weekend forecast) at the Giro d’Italia.

These weather extremes are ones we’d normally expect to be stretched over three decades, not just three months. We have to raid our memory banks to recall similar challenges: a snow-battered Charly Gaul overcoming Monte Bondone at the 1955 Giro; the torrid temperatures that contributed to Tom Simpson’s fatal collapse on Mont Ventoux at the 1967 Tour de France; Bernard Hinault battling a blizzard to win the 1980 Liège-Bastogne-Liège; Andy Hampsten conquering freezing rain and snow over the Passo di Gávia in 1988 to claim the maglia rosa; the Tour de France organizers deciding to bypass the Col du Galibier in 1997 because of freezing temperatures and gale-force winds; and the months-long heat wave that melted tar on the road where Joseba Beloki crashed (and ended his career) at the 2003 Tour.

An estimated 70,000 people died in that European heat wave of 2003, after which USA Today wrote: “Environmental experts warn that because of climate change such heat waves are expected to increase in number in coming years, meaning Europe—a continent that historically has enjoyed a temperate climate—will have to make adjustments.”

Ten years later, the overwhelming reach of climate change has reached a critical point. Last Friday, it was reported that the concentration of climate-warming carbon dioxide in the atmosphere passed 400 parts per million for the first time in human history. As context, when the industrial age began (including the manufacture of the first bicycles), the level was 280ppm. The last time the 400ppm level was reached was in the Pliocene Age, some three million years ago, when there were no polar icecaps and the level of the sea was an estimated 130 feet (13 stories) higher than it is today.

Discussing the 400ppm milestone, American professor Ralph Keeling, who’s in charge of monitoring the atmosphere’s carbon-dioxide levels that his father began 55 years ago at the Mauna Loa observatory in Hawaii, said in a statement: “It is symbolic, a point to pause and think about where we have been and where we are going.” Also this past week, a study published by the Institute of Physics’ IOPscience Web site showed that, after reviewing 11,944 climate scientific abstracts, 97 percent of those expressing an opinion on the human element conclude that global warming is manmade.

So where does cycling figure in the climate-change equation? On the plus side, the continued rise in the number of people riding bikes is one of the biggest factors in taking cars off the road and reducing the human world’s carbon footprint. Pro bike racers may not be a significant proportion of the bike-riding population, but combined with the thousands of amateur competitors and millions of fans they can have a disproportionate influence on getting more and more people to buy and ride bikes.

This has been proven in Great Britain, where the unprecedented success of its track and road riders at the past several Olympics, along with the Tour de France stage and GC victories of respectively Mark Cavendish and Brad Wiggins, have inspired millions to start or re-start riding to work or for pleasure. The burgeoning number of pedaling Brits has been exemplified by the astute sponsorship of Sky Broadcasting, which has not only bankrolled the Olympic and Tour de France teams but also promotes the various Sky Rides in major cities, which attract as many as 55,000 cyclists a time.

On the negative side, it can be said that the manufacturing process that produces more than 130 million bikes a year adds to the carbon footprint. As for bike racing, every event depends on support cars and motor transport, but that’s likely a tiny speck in the overall effect of atmospheric pollution. Of more immediate concern to the sport is how climate change is increasing the likelihood of weather extremes like those we have seen in the past week.

More challenging weather means a greater emphasis on staying healthy to win races, particularly races that go on for a week or more. Take the case of BMC Racing’s Cadel Evans, who decided to ride the Giro at the last minute and, with the race halfway though, is lying second overall. Much of his success has been due to his being an all-weather, all-terrain rider who’s very consistent when he’s healthy. It’s something that Evans works hard at.

As he said on his blog after Thursday’s stage 12 in cold, torrential rain: “I raced most of the stage with two rain jackets just to stay warm. Not in theme with my aero helmet and wheels, but staying healthy here is half the battle.” Similarly, on the crucial stage through the Marche hills last Friday, he said: “[We had] a final 70km that required headache-inducing concentration…and some luck and finesse to stay upright and in front on oil-slick descents [that made] the brake pads slippery and everything, well, messy….”

The poor weather and continual rain had an opposite effect on Team Sky’s race favorite Wiggins, who has unsuccessfully tried to overcome a chest cold. That sickness, combined with his fear of crashing on wet, dicey descents, has seen him plummet down the standings, whereas his Colombian teammate Rigoberto Uran, race leader Vincenzo Nibali and Evans seem immune to the nasty conditions.

At the same time, Evans’ American teammate Tejay Van Garderen has moved into the lead at the Amgen Tour of California because of his own patient approach to racing. On the over-baked Tramway climb out of Palm Springs on Monday he didn’t panic when first Irishman Philip Deignan of United Healthcare, then Colombian Janier Acevedo of Jamis-Hagens Berman, jumped away in search of glory. Van Garderen calmly kept to his own (still fast) climbing speed to take second on the stage behind Acevedo. And three days later he used his WorldTour skills to go with the 16-man move engineered by the RadioShack-Leopard-Trek team that echeloned into the Pacific coast crosswinds and ended with The Shack’s Jens Voigt winning the stage and Van Garderen taking over the race leader’s gold-and-blue jersey.

Patience, good health and consistency have always been required qualities for winning bike races. Climate change will put even more emphasis on the “good health” part of that formula, while being impervious to freezing wet or baking dry conditions will rapidly gain in importance—along with the x-factor of taking risks.

If this coming Sunday’s stage of the Giro to the top of the Col du Galibier actually takes place in winter-like weather, it will probably be the men such as Evans and the imperturbable Nibali who come out on top. As for Wiggins, he now has to regain his good health, make peace with teammate Chris Froome, and attempt to defend his Tour title in July—when the biggest challenge might be overcoming intense heat.

All that’s certain is that the extreme weather conditions are here to stay.

You can follow John at twitter.com @johnwilcockson

Voigt Wins Tour of California Stage 5

5/16/2013

Germany's Jens Voigt captured stage five of the Tour of California, with a solo climb to the hillside finish line, giving him a six-second victory over runner-up Tyler Farrar on Thursday. Voigt (RadioShack) finished just ahead of stage four winner Farrar and third place Thor Hushovd (BMC) in the 185.7 kilometer fifth stage from Santa Barbara to Avila Beach.

Tejay van Garderen (BMC) grabbed the overall lead as the American finished with the same time as Farrar. Voigt launched his attack late in the race, timing it perfectly with five kilometres to go. He finished with a time of four hours, 41 minutes, 16 seconds.

"I thought, 'I'm a little bit stronger than the other guys in the break, but of course, less fast,'" said Voigt. "I said, 'now or never, now or never. Everybodies hurting now.' And it worked. It worked once again."

Earlier in the race, he was part of an elite group that formed when the crosswinds off the ocean, which had buffeted the riders for much of the daym started to change.

"It wasn't BMC's plan to split the bunch," said van Garderen. "It seemed like a headwind all day but then all of a sudden it changed and you could feel it getting nervous in the bunch. You knew something was going to happen."

The fifth stage began with a steep climb over the San Marcos Pass before taking the riders through a stretch of scenic vineyards and horse country. The finish line was located at the top of a hill that overlooked the Pacific Ocean in the seaside town of Avila Beach.

The Tour of California continues Friday with an individual time trial in San Jose.

Tour of California Stage 5

1. Jens Voigt (GER/RadioShack) 4:41:16

2. Tyler Farrar (USA) @ :06

3. Thor Hushovd (NOR) @ s.t.

4. Peter Sagan (SVK)

5. Michael Matthews (AUS)

6. Jay McCarthy (AUS)

7. Alexander Candelario (USA)

8. Michael Rogers (AUS)

9. Markel Irizar Aranburu (ESP)

10. Tejay van Garderen (USA)

General Classification After Stage 5

1. Tejay van Garderen (USA/BMC) 21:55:32

2. Michael Rogers (AUS) @ :42

3. Janier Acevedo (COL) @ ;50

4. Matthew Busche (USA) @ 1:04

5. Philip Deignan (IRL) @ 1:17

6. Cameron Meyer (AUS) @ 1:29

7. Mathias Frank (SUI) @ 1:35

8. Francisco Mancebo Perez (ESP) @ 1:53

9. Chad Haga (USA) @ 2:03

10. Lawson Craddock (USA) @ 2:22